Steps To Safely Detangle Your Hair - Detangling Natural Hair

During wash days or when restyling hair, there is one step all naturals cannot skip - detangling.

Most of the proper hair detangling practices used in the past for type 4 hair had long been forgotten. The rise of the natural hair care movement helped to revive some proper hair care practices. Also, new methods for handling and detangling textured hair continue to come up.

Here are some ways to safely detangle your hair.

1. Section Hair 

Before you start the detangling process, you might want to section your hair into manageable sections that you can work with. This helps to minimize breakage and save time. You can start with two sections, four sections, or even eight sections. To minimize breakage, the smaller the better. 

2. Use Detangler/ Conditioner 

Detanglers or conditioners with a slippery or slimy consistency are ideal for detangling. They help to loosen the entangled hair. This prevents the hair strands from snagging on the comb and breaking off.

These products help the comb or brush to glide through the hair effortlessly. Using detanglers and conditioners helps a great deal with length retention.

Check out these amazing and effective detangling conditioners:

Dark And Lovely Au Naturale Knot Out Detangling Conditioner

Aunt Jackie'S Knot On My Watch Instant Detangling Therapy

Carol's Daughter Detangling Conditioner

3. Use Proper Detangling Tools

Choosing the right type of hair tools to detangle matted or entangled hair, matters a great deal. Wide-tooth combs and brushes are the best tools for the detangling process. Curly, coily, and Kinky hair are fine-textured hair types. Their structure makes them prone to breakage. This is especially when they are manipulated using the wrong types of hair tools. These hair textures prefer wide-toothed combs and brushes for the detangling process. Such tools don't snag onto the hair and break the hair shaft. 

5 Best Detangling Combs For 4c Natural Hair

Best Detangling Brushes For Natural Hair

4. Combing/ Brushing Technique

Hair can be detangled using combs, brushes, or even your fingers. Whichever tool you choose to use works as long as you use the right techniques.

Always start detangling your hair from the ends and work your way to the roots of your hair. Also, pay extra attention to your ends because they are the oldest part of your hair and are more prone to breakage. 

5. Twist Each Section

After you finish detangling a section, you'll want to twist the section. This helps to prevent it from tangling again as you work on other sections. You can also choose to do a loose two-strand twist or just twirl the hair section and pin it away. Doing this helps to separate the detangled hair from the tangled hair. Twisting each section enables you to work through the sections faster.

6. Deep Condition

Deep conditioning is important for textured hair types. For type 4 hair, deep conditioning once every week is ideal. At most once in two weeks. This helps to keep the hair moisturized and strong since it is what these hair types need the most.

Deep conditioning hair is key to minimizing hair breakage. This practice makes the hair strong, flexible, and lustrous. Strong and flexible hair is able to withstand manipulation and many hairstyles.

Mahogany Organics Chebe Deep Conditioner

Aunt Jackie'S Coco Repair Coconut Creme Deep Conditioner Coco Cream.

7. Rinse in Twists

When it comes to rinsing your hair do not be in a hurry to unravel the twists. Rinse the hair while it is still in the twists. Keep squeezing out the water with your hands until the water pours out clear. This means that all the product is out or washed off.

Unraveling the twists before rinsing might cause the tangles to reform. This means that you'll have to detangle your hair again. The other key here is to reduce hair manipulation. You'll want to use the comb or brush as few times as possible.

8. Un-do Twists

After rinsing out your hair, don't rush to unravel each section at once. Work on each section by unraveling each twist and applying your product of choice. You can use a leave-in conditioner, oils, creams, or even gels depending on how you want to style your hair. If you need to, you can re-twist the section again.  Re-twisting will help you to prevent the hair from tangling again, as you work on other sections.

Conclusion

Detangling your hair doesn't have to be a tedious, frustrating, and boring process. With the right products, tools, and techniques, the detangling process can be fast, easy, and also enjoyable.

Always remember to;

•           Section your hair

•           Use a detangler/ conditioner with a slippery consistency

•           Use a wide-toothed comb or detangling brush

•           Comb/ brush from ends to roots

•           Loosely twist detangled section

•           Rinse in twists, and

•           Undo twists only when styling

There you go, those are 8 tips to help you detangle your hair with ease!

Be patient, keep going and your hair will thank you.